The present invention relates to a tube bender with a mechanical stop that is adjustable along the length of the tube bender head.
During installation of metal conduit, such as small diameter piping or conduit for electrical cables, it is often more economical to be able to bend the conduit rather than to cut the conduit and install fittings to effect the required bends. Oftentimes, a conduit bending tool is employed to make the desired bends. The bending tool typically includes an elongated handle with a bender head affixed to one end of the handle. The bender head is typically an arc-shaped channel into which a generally straight length of conduit is inserted. The channel includes a plurality of arcuate designations inscribed on the side of the channel, corresponding to degrees of bending of the conduit in the bender head.
In use, a conduit is inserted into the bender head and the conduit is rotated relative to the bender head so that the conduit bends along the bender head. Typically, the force required to bend the conduit is force readily provided by an average sized person leaning against either the conduit or the bender, as is well known in the art. When the conduit is bent a desired amount, the force being applied to bend the conduit is released, and the conduit is then removed from the bender. Typically, conduit having a nominal size of up to 1xc2xc inches (approximately 3.2 centimeters) can be bent in this manner.
However, one problem experienced by personnel using such a tool and method to bend conduit is that it is often necessary to repeat a particular bend angle for multiple bends, such as to bend the conduit around an obstruction. Such bends are known as offset bends, three-point saddles, and four point saddles. It is desirous to be able to make all of these bends at equal angles to provide a professional appearance and to ensure that the conduit is bent in the proper amount over each of several locations. The person making the bend must estimate the amount of each of the several bends, which can lead to errors in the final configuration of the conduit, and provide an unprofessional appearance in the conduit configuration.
One approach to solving this problem is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,422,054 to White. White discloses a conduit bending tool that uses a bending block that is removably insertable into one of a plurality of notches inscribed along a bender head. However, White""s bending tool is separable from the bender head and may become misplaced between uses. Further, White""s bending tool is only applicable in discrete increments and cannot be used to accurately locate angles between those discrete increments. It would be beneficial to provide a stop mechanism for a conduit bender that is fixedly connected to the bender, and that may be positioned at an infinite amount of locations along the bender head.
Briefly, the present invention provides an adjustable mechanical stop for a tube bender. The stop comprises an elongated arm having a pivoting end and a free end, wherein the pivoting end is pivotally connectable to a tube bender. A stop is disposed at the free end of the elongated arm, wherein the stop is disposed to engage a tube in the tube bender. A lock is disposed along the elongated arm, wherein the lock is engageable with the tube bender to adjustably secure the stop relative to the tube bender.
Further, the present invention provides an adjustable mechanical stop for a tube bender. The stop comprises a generally U-shaped body having a closed end and an open end, wherein the open end is pivotally connectable to a tube bender and wherein the closed end is disposed to engage a tube in the tube bender. A lock is disposed along the generally U-shaped body, wherein the lock is engageable with the tube bender to adjustable secure the generally U-shaped body relative to the bender.
Also, the present invention provides an improved tube bender. The bender comprises a tube bender and an adjustable stop. The tube bender includes a handle having a free end and a connected end and a bender head connected to the connected end of the handle. The bender head includes an arcuate channel sized to allow a tube to be disposed therein. The stop includes an elongated arm having a pivoting end pivotally connected to the tube bender and a free end disposed to travel along the arcuate channel and a stop member connected to the free end of the elongated arm such that the stop member is traversable along the arcuate channel. The stop member also includes a lock disposed along the elongated arm, wherein the lock is engageable with the bender head to adjustably lock the stop relative to the bender head such that, when a tube is disposed within the arcuate channel and bent along the arcuate channel, the stop member engages the tube at a desired location and prevents further bending of the tube along the arcuate channel.